Little Britain star Matt Lucas today accepted substantial undisclosed damages for invasion of privacy over articles published after his ex-partner's death by the Daily Star.

Lucas sued Express Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Star, over its coverage following the October 2009 suicide of Kevin McGee, whom he married in a civil partnership in December 2006 and divorced just over two years later.

His solicitor, John Kelly, told Mr Justice Tugendhat at London's high court that after the tragedy, Lucas informed the media that he did not want to discuss the matter and asked for his privacy to be respected.

However, the Daily Star published a story alleging that Lucas had been put on suicide watch and that he had met a new boyfriend and chosen to move on.

"Such claims are wholly without foundation, and publishing these false claims at this time considerably aggravated the hurt and distress caused by the article," Kelly told the high court.

He added that the newspaper had also published an article speculating that the reason for the couple's divorce was McGee's use of cocaine.

The solicitor Zoe Norden, for Express Newspapers, which has also agreed to pay Lucas's costs, offered its sincere apologies for invading his privacy and for the distress caused.

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